Five Shark Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

Sharks are one of the most misunderstood species on the planet. Hollywood and the media have created a false image of these creatures over the years. There are numerous conservation projects currently underway researching sharks. These programs are working toward conserving the species as well as educating the community about the truth behind these fish. Here are five facts about sharks that you probably didn’t know.

1.) Every 60 seconds approximately 200 sharks are killed due to humans.

Movies have made sharks out to be vicious, man-eating predators. The real predators are humans. From the shark finning epidemic to the damages from trash and debris, humans are killing sharks in massive numbers. The number of shark attacks do not even begin to compare to the number of shark deaths due to humans.

2.) You’ve heard about sharks’ keen sense of smell, but you might not know about their incredible sense of sight.

Sharks can smell blood in one part per million. Their sense of smell can track a drop of blood from a very far distance. But did you know that they can see, too? Most people don’t talk about sharks’ eyesight and that is certainly conversation worthy. A shark’s eye has a tapetum lucidum, a mirror-like layer in the back of the eye that doubles the intensity of incoming light. This allows sharks to have exceptional vision in murky waters and dim conditions. You can swim, but you can’t hide from these guys!

3.) Sharks have friends.

Hollywood has portrayed sharks to be lone hunters out roaming the seas with the sole purpose to attack prey. Actually, sharks are not strictly solitary hunters at all. Sharks are typically very social creatures that congregate in groups for hunting and breeding. Great white sharks are the only species that are generally more solitary, but still can coexist with other great whites and other species while hunting and breeding.

4.) Sharks can live to be 30 and flirty.

The average lifespan of a shark is between 20-30 years. That’s a long time for a big fish! They mature slowly and typically reach reproductive age around 12 years old, although mating has rarely been observed by humans.

5.) Shark jaws are not attached to their skull.

Say what? The jaws of a shark are not attached to their skull! How is this possible? Sharks have an independent upper and lower jaw that move separately. This allows a shark to lift and move their head and mouth more freely to attack prey.

There you have it! Sharks are amazing, beautiful creatures of the sea. We are learning more about them everyday. Here at Logan Sawyer we donate 10% of profits to ocean conservation projects, one of them being shark research and conservation. We believe these fish are vital to the ecosystem and we want to support these projects that are working tirelessly to save the species and better understand their behavior.